Washing-machine



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1. 8

A. J. CURTIS.

WASHING MACHINE.

NQ. 488,548. xPatented Deo. 27,1892.

2 sheets-#sheet 2.

A. J. CURTIS.' WASHING MACHINE.

No.' 488,543. Patented Dec. 27, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANDREW J. CURTIS, OF EAST WILLIAMSON, NEWYORK.

WASHING- MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,543, dated December27, 1892.

Application filed J' une 20, 1892.

To @ZZ whom it may concern/.5

Be it known that L ANDREW J'. CURTIS, a

` citizen of the United States, residing at East Williamson, in thecounty of Wayne and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Washing-Machines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in washing machines; and its objectis to provide a simple machine which can be easily operated to cause asuction of water through the fabrics or clothes and thereby cleanse thesame.

Vith these ends in View, the invention contemplates a suds-box, havingtwo vertical ways or grooves in the sides thereof, a rubber adapted tooperate in the suds-box and having vertical guide stems which fit in theways or grooves and are movable vertically therein, coiled springsarranged and supported on the outside of the suds-box and att-ached tothe upper protruding ends of the vertical guides to press the rubber infirm contact with the clothes, and the series of elongated cups dividedin sections and forming the working face of the rubber.

My invention also consists of the construction and arrangement of partswhich will be fully pointed out and claimed hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a longitudinal sectional viewof my improved machine, Fig. 2 is a perspective View. Fig. 3 is a detailview of the rubber, and Fig. 4 is a detail View of one of the cups whichform the face of the rubber. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing thearrangement of the plug c.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denotecorresponding partsA machine will not move while being used, but

Serial No. 437,352. (No model.)

on the legs at the other end so that'it can be readily pushed to thedesired place.

It will be understood that the machine may be constructed light enoughto be easily lifted and carried about without detracting from itsstrength and durability.

One end of the suds-box is provided with a vertical ledge adapted toreceive a wringer if it is desired to attach the same to the sudsbox;and this box is closed by a tight fitting cover B which rests uponnarrow strips b fastened on the inside of the box and lits flush withthe top of the sides and ends thereof. Instead of the strips, the covermay be arranged to rest in seats formed in the sides and ends, aspreferred. To prevent the water from squirting out from the suds boxwhen it is withdrawn therefrom I place the escape opening C in thebottom of the box, near one side thereof, so that the water will flow ina straight Vertical stream into a suitable receptacle; and this openingis closed by a tapering plug c, having beveled edges, which plug isarranged to slide in suitable sockets or guides c secured on the bottomof the suds-box adjacent to the opening. v

In the middle of the sides of the suds-box, on the inner opposing facesthereof, are Vertical ways or grooves b formed in the sides; but theseways or grooves may be made by strips secured on the sides if preferred.

The rubber is adapted to fit snugly in the suds-box, and it comprisesthe two parallel segmental pieces D, to the faces of which the cups arefastened. These pieces are suitably secured together and a cross-piece dprojects beyond the segmental pieces D. Pivotally secured to the ends ofthe cross-pieced are vertical guide stems or bars E, E, which arearranged to fit in the ways or grooves b in the suds-box and are adaptedto move vertically therein; and the upper ends of these guides areprovided with right angled lugs e which rest upon the top of the sidesof the suds-box when the machine is not in use. The rubber is firmlypressed against the clothes by coiled springs F which are fastened attheir lower ends on the outside of the box and to staples e in the lugse on the vertical guides. By this means the rubber is always held in anoperative position by the coiled springs and IOO the springs being onthe outside of the suds box they are not subjected to the action of theWater which is liable to corrode the springs. As the handle or lever fis reciprocated back and forth, the ends of the rubber rise and fallsuccessively; and the rubber is retained in place by the guide stems orbars Which move vertically in the Ways or grooves as the rubber ismoved. The lever fis secured to the rubber in any suitable manner, andit projects upward through a longitudinal slot f in the cover, whichpermits it to be moved back and forth.

The face of the rubber is composed of a number of cups G which are ofsuch length that they iit readily in the suds-box; and these cups aredivided by partitions g into any number of sections.

As the rubber is operated over the clothes in the suds-box the springs Fgive the desired pressure of the rubber on the clothes which secures thedesired suction of the cups to draw the Water through the clothes tocleanse them. I am aware that it is not broadlynew to cleanse clothes bysuction, and claim only the particular devices herein shown anddescribed for accomplishing that purpose. may be made of any suitablematerial and likewise the other parts of the machine.

When the machine is to be used the coiled springs are detached from thestaples on the guide stems, and the rubber removed entirely from thesuds-boX.

stantially in their proper position I provide short chains g which arefastened to the guides and to suitable places on the rubber.

The cups for causing the suction To keep the guides sub- The suds-box isfilled partially with clothes and the rubber and cover replaced; afterWhich the springs are connected and the lever operated. The cups cause asuction of Water through the fabrics as the lever is moved, and theWater thus drawn through the clothes serves to thoroughly cleanse thesame.

I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and detailsof construction of the devices herein shown and described as anembodiment ot' my invention may be made Without departing from thespirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof, and I therefore reservethe right to make such changes as fall within the scope of the same.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, isz- In a Washing machine, the combinationof a suds box provided on its inner surface with parallel vertical Waysor grooves, a rubber arranged withiu said box and pivotally connected tothe lower ends of vertical guide bars arranged in the ways or grooves inthe box, said guide pieces being provided at their upper ends withlaterally projecting lugs Which extend across the upper edges of thesides of the suds box, and coiled springs detachably connected to saidlugs, and rigidly attached to the outside of the suds box, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof Iafiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ANDREW J. CURTIS.

Vitnesses:

C. K. KNAPP,

LEWIS H. CLARK.

